MICROTRAP ASSEMBLY FOR GREENHOUSE GAS AND AIR POLLUTION MONITORING

• US 20110271838A1
• Filed: 04/13/2011
• Published: 11/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: New Jersey Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: New Jersey Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Saridara, Chutarat, Mitra, Somenath
• Granted Patent: US 9,116,141 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 96/102
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/102 Carbon
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/304 Linear dimensions, e.g. particle shape, diameter
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/342 Monoliths
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/2064 Chlorine
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/2066 Fluorine
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/7025 Methane
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/708 Volatile organic compounds V.O.C.'s
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/0407 Constructional details of adsorbing systems
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/30 Controlling by gas-analysis apparatus regulating non electrical variables in general G05D
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/70 Organic halogen compounds
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/72 Organic compounds not provided for in groups B01D53/48 - B01D53/70, e.g. hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/405 by adsorption or absorption
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2030/062 extracting sample from raw material
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2030/085 using absorbing precolumn
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/08 using an enricher
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/6095 Micromachined or nanomachined, e.g. micro- or nanosize
• CPC Class Codes: Y02C 20/20 of methane

Abstract

A microtrap assembly includes a carbon nanotube sorbent. The microtrap assembly may be employed as a preconcentrator operable to deliver a sample to an analytical device to measure the concentrations of greenhouse gases. A system includes a microtrap having a carbon nanotube sorbent for measuring the concentrations of greenhouse gases in a sample.

Claims

1. A microtrap assembly comprising at least one capillary tube comprising sorbent comprising carbon nanotubes.

2. The microtrap assembly according to claim 1 wherein the carbon nanotubes comprise multiwalled carbon nanotubes.

3. The microtrap assembly according to claim 1 wherein the sorbent consists of carbon nanotubes.

4. The microtrap assembly according to claim 1 wherein the sorbent consists of multiwalled carbon nanotubes.

5. The microtrap assembly according to claim 1 comprising plural capillary tubes.

6. The microtrap assembly according to claim 1 consisting of a single capillary tube.

7. The microtrap assembly according to claim 1 wherein the capillary tube has an interior diameter of about 0.1 mm to about 5.0 mm.

8. The microtrap assembly according to claim 1 having an interior diameter of 0.5 mm.

9. The microtrap assembly according to claim 1 wherein the microtrap is wrapped into a coil.

10. The microtrap assembly according to claim 1 wherein the microtrap has a length of about 1 cm to about 300 cm.

11. The microtrap assembly according to claim 1 wherein the microtrap has a length of about 1 cm to about 100 cm.

12. The microtrap assembly according to claim 1 wherein the microtrap has a length of about 15 cm.

13. The microtrap assembly according to claim 1 wherein the lengths of carbon nanotubes in the sorbent are from about 0.1 nm to about 400 micrometers.

14. The microtrap assembly according to claim 1 wherein the carbon nanotubes form a film thickness on the capillary tube of about 0.1 microns to about 2000 microns.

15. The microtrap assembly according to claim 1 wherein the carbon nanotubes form a film thickness on the capillary tube of about 0.1 microns to about 100 microns.

16. A system for detecting greenhouse gases comprising a microtrap according to claim 1 operably connected to a gas inlet and a detector or a gas chromatograph.

17. The system according to claim 16 further comprising a temperature controlled chamber housing the microtrap.

18. The system according to claim 16 further comprising a detector operably connected to a gas chromatograph.

19. The system according to claim 16 further comprising a power source operably connected to the microtrap for providing resistive heating to the microtrap and a timer operably connected to the power source to enable an electrical pulse to the microtrap.

20. The system according to claim 16 further comprising a data acquisition device operably connected to a gas chromatograph.

21. A system for detecting organic and inorganic air pollutants comprising a microtrap according to claim 1 operably connected to a gas inlet and a detector, sensor or a gas chromatograph.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein the pollutant is a volatile organic compound.

23. The system according to claim 21 further comprising a temperature controlled chamber housing the microtrap.

24. The system according to claim 21 further comprising a power source operably connected to the microtrap for providing resistive heating to the microtrap and a timer operably connected to the power source to enable an electrical pulse to the microtrap.

25. The system according to claim 21 further comprising a data acquisition device operably connected to a detector, a sensor or gas chromatograph.